Daley: It’s Brownlees over Bolt

OLYMPIC legend Daley Thompson is more interested in watching a pair of
unheralded Yorkshire brothers in one-piece lycra than global megastar Usain
Bolt.

Thompson, who won Games decathlon gold in 1980 and 1984, believes Alistair and
Jonny Brownlee, who both compete in triathlon, could set the Games alight
when the action kicks off this summer.

Tipping them to battle for the gold medal on August 7 in the Olympic event he
most fancies tuning in for, Thompson said: “Those boys are the ones to beat.

“They will have the crowd on their side, which will make it tough for their
opponents.

“They remind me of me a bit in that they are old school. They know how to
enjoy themselves but they are also really dedicated.”

Alistair, 23, and Jonny, 21, are currently ranked one and two in the world in
triathlon — a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run — at the Olympic
distance.

Alistair is the reigning world champion and has already triumphed on the Games
course, in the test event in London’s Hyde Park in August, which acted as a
key leg of last year’s world championship.

His younger brother ran through for third, went on to be crowned world
triathlon sprint champion – over half the distance – a fortnight later, and
ended the season as overall championship runner-up.

The formidable siblings are hot favourites for medals but Great Britain has
never reached the podium, in either the men’s or women’s triathlon, since
the sport first featured in the Olympics in Sydney in 2000.

Barring injury, both have already secured their places for London, with the
final British spot for the men’s team being named after the ITU World
Triathlon Series event in Madrid on the last weekend in May.

Thompson, who had to master 10 events when he was competing in track and
field, is such as fan he has even turned his hand to triathlon coaching.

As an ambassador for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation he guided 25
amateur athletes to compete on the same weekend as the test event last year.